Preview Round 7, 2019: GWS v St.Kilda - Manuka Oval, Saturday 4th May, 1:45PM AEST

[St Pauls]

Longer was always promising but never quite got going, he's still a relatively young ruck but just needs to get a whole lot better at the basics if he wants a career. He could get big and become a decent mature ruckman who just bash and crashes.

The disappointing thing about Billy’s performance was that he didn’t dominate the stoppages. You can usually bank on him crashing in and having an impact in there.

It was his first game in awhile and actually took a few nice marks but RoMa should come straight back in.

 

[Premium]

Marsh looks like a real prospect, but is he fit enough is the question

Marsh as we know played in defence for the Magpies and was a solid player when he was a 20yr old now the guy is 23 and standing at 1.94m could easily fill a Key position , however we he went back west the guy also played in different positions including the midfield so he must have a tank.

The guy hasn't played enough as of yet to determine where he could play for us , but I would expect his fitness wouldn't be to far off considering he was going to play for the Tigers 2s - and knowing he was a draft chance he would of been training for it , also he was being considered yesterday so he must not be to far off.

I don't want to pigeon hole the guy but his best position is most probably in the backline , but who knows.

He is no great white hope like someone mentioned here but is capable of performing a serviceable role and I feel he would be ahead of Joyce and Austin just going by how he played as a 20yr old.

Now getting back to our forward line , we were going to go with McCartin , Bruce and Membery as our marking forwards and as it has turned out McCartin is basically out for the year - so we go with our next best set up and the select feel just having the Bruce and Membery as our key targets is good enough with having speed around them with Long , Kent and Parker and I don't think it will change any time soon due to we have had success - having Lonie out they will rotate Gresham , Hunter through the forward line as well.

Our back line is fine - they got cut up on the weekend because of the amount of inside 50s and to fix this its all down to our mids , they have to at least break even and not get torched like they did against the Crows.

I'm hoping we can take up to GWS , WCE and Magpies in the next 3 games and if we snatch a win out of one of these games we are still a chance of playing finals.

Remember Carlisle , Membery , Geary could all be back by round 12 - if this is the case our side will be getting a boost in the last half of the season and we could easily squeak out wins against and we could sneak a win against a higher rated team and lose against a lower rated team but we could easily get 12 wins and due to this season being so even this could be enough to make the 8.
rd 10 Blues
rd 11 Port
rd 12
rd 13 Gold Coast
rd 14 Lions
rd 15 Tigers
rd 16 Roos
rd 17 Cats
rd 18 Dogs
rd 19 Demons
rd 20 Crows
rd 21 Fremantle
rd 22 Blues
rd 23 Swans

This would be my side if everyone was fit

Geary - Brown - Marsh
Webster - Battle - Wilkie
Billings - Hannebery - Newnes
Long - Carlisle - Parker
Gresham - Bruce - Membery

Marshall - Ross - Steven

Steele / Acres / Savage / Lonie

Emergencies - Kent / Paton / McKenzie / Hunter / White / Joyce

I would back this team to push any team - ok I know people knock different players but you can ajust who you want in the 22 , but it is a strong team which will only get stronger next season with King , Hunter , Coffield , Bytel . Clavarino all with another preseason under there belt.

 

[Sully111]

If we turn the ball over GWS will absolutely cane us.

 

[mightymalaka]

If we turn the ball over GWS will absolutely cane us.

There's No If about it! We will we are the Saints!

Its about bringing the pressure and intensity for longer ( and that's not the Billy kind )
Especially in the midfield! We will need to get back to being super aggressive on our attack at
Both the ball and the player! One thing GWS don't like is an old fashioned scrap!
If we allow the time and space we did yesterday, then like you say we Will get caned!

 

[Sab22]

Bring the same everything we did this week to this game, we'll get crashed by 60+ points.

Whitfield, Davis might be out for this week.

We need to maintain our structure, Gresh or Stuv won't bring the same energy or pressure as Lonie, and Lonie gets under opposition's skin like antman. His ideal replacement should be Young, Robbies form isn't great but he literally fits Lonies role. Long was pretty shit when played in VFL, but an absolute pressure machine in the AFL.

I'd stick with Longer, if Bruce can't pull up. Marshall upfront and as 2nd ruck. Longer gets a second chance due to Mumford.

Kent for Dunstan. We got absolutely smashed inside, hence why outside struggled. Dunstan isn't flashy but if he can get the ball to our boys, that's enough.

 

[Moral Decay]

Changes I'd like to see.

Bruce, injured.
Lonie, injured.
Longer, omitted.
Kent, omitted.

If Parker or Long are carrying injuries, I'm uncomfortable with them playing. Kent worries me, good running but his contested ball is ordinary at best as is his ability to work in confined spaces, it's a lack of physicality that concerns.

Marshall in, is a no brainer.
Joyce.
Marshall.
Clark.

The rest though is a different thing.
I want Joyce in as a key defender, with Battle to play forward, Marsh to play as a tall utility, about 60% of game time filling in as necessary especially when there are changes in the ruck where Marshall, 80%: Battle/Wilkie/Acres 20% rucking or benched, will allow a tall option forward, mid and back. I want Paton and Clark to spend more time on the ball/midfield with Gresh to spend more time forward taking the Lonie role aand Stuv spending more time forward as well.

 

[Max the great]

Kent was very poor today, 5 bad games out of 6 time to find consistent form at Sandy

VFL players belong in the VFL. Correct

 

[George]

Preview up on the first post

 

[Sully111]

There's No If about it! We will we are the Saints!

Its about bringing the pressure and intensity for longer ( and that's not the Billy kind )
Especially in the midfield! We will need to get back to being super aggressive on our attack at
Both the ball and the player! One thing GWS don't like is an old fashioned scrap!
If we allow the time and space we did yesterday, then like you say we Will get caned!

We can bring all the intensity and pressure in the world... if we don't kick well we'll get smashed.

 

[Saintbloke]

We have 4 wins through strong team efforts, but I think it is time for some players to have really standout games, not just workmanlike efforts. The midfield will need to improve 200% over last game if we want to beat GWS, and we need better efforts from the forward KPPs

 

[bird_man]

Thinking I might make the drive over this week. Hopefully the boys bring the intensity they had in the first 5 weeks.

We seem to be able to match it pretty well with the Giants, but another game like we had on the weekend and they'll make us pay.

 

[Joffaboy]

What did Kent do if Aces effort was poor? At least Acres did a couple of good things.

Acres was poor but has been good. Needs more consistency.

Kent needs a spell

 

[BrutThough]

Bring the same everything we did this week to this game, we'll get crashed by 60+ points.

Whitfield, Davis might be out for this week.

We need to maintain our structure, Gresh or Stuv won't bring the same energy or pressure as Lonie, and Lonie gets under opposition's skin like antman. His ideal replacement should be Young, Robbies form isn't great but he literally fits Lonies role. Long was pretty shit when played in VFL, but an absolute pressure machine in the AFL.

I'd stick with Longer, if Bruce can't pull up. Marshall upfront and as 2nd ruck. Longer gets a second chance due to Mumford.

Kent for Dunstan. We got absolutely smashed inside, hence why outside struggled. Dunstan isn't flashy but if he can get the ball to our boys, that's enough.

Re maintaining the structure - Lonie plays up a lot higher than our other smalls and plays a big role in actually getting the ball inside 50. Also averages 16 possessions, which is on the higher end for a small forward.

By bringing in Young for him, we are adding in another low possession forward who can really only tackle. Completely different from the role Lonie does and overloads us with Kent, Parker and Long also in the team. Gresh and Stuv could rotate between that higher small forward role with midfield time, providing that link between midfield and fwd while also having the ability to score.

 

[CaptainRisky]

We can bring all the intensity and pressure in the world... if we don't kick well we'll get smashed.

Pressure will only get us so far , it will work against crap teams or teams out of form , Not good teams , we need some more skillful players if we are going to challenge

 

[lewdogs]

AFL website saying that Coniglio could be in doubt as well as Whitfield. That would make the mountain a little less steep.

 

[VDS66]

Pressure will only get us so far , it will work against crap teams or teams out of form , Not good teams , we need some more skillful players if we are going to challenge

Pretty much sums us up in a nutshell...

 

[Premium]

Not having Ward , Coniglio and Whitfield would drop GWS down a peg.

 

[bird_man]

AFL website saying that Coniglio could be in doubt as well as Whitfield. That would make the mountain a little less steep.

Will Davis be back or miss again?

 

[Stewart66]

OK if Bruce isn't fit...

Joyce in.

Battle forward.

Hind for Lonie.

Kent out for god knows who.

Marshall for Billy.

Actually would play 2 rucks play Gresham & Battle forward .

Really hate using blokes in the ruck who are not “ruckman “



Out : Lonie , Bruce , Kent , Long

In : Clark , Joyce , Hind ( Wing & Half back ) Marshall

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Marsh as we know played in defence for the Magpies and was a solid player when he was a 20yr old now the guy is 23 and standing at 1.94m could easily fill a Key position , however we he went back west the guy also played in different positions including the midfield so he must have a tank.

The guy hasn't played enough as of yet to determine where he could play for us , but I would expect his fitness wouldn't be to far off considering he was going to play for the Tigers 2s - and knowing he was a draft chance he would of been training for it , also he was being considered yesterday so he must not be to far off.

I don't want to pigeon hole the guy but his best position is most probably in the backline , but who knows.

He is no great white hope like someone mentioned here but is capable of performing a serviceable role and I feel he would be ahead of Joyce and Austin just going by how he played as a 20yr old.

Now getting back to our forward line , we were going to go with McCartin , Bruce and Membery as our marking forwards and as it has turned out McCartin is basically out for the year - so we go with our next best set up and the select feel just having the Bruce and Membery as our key targets is good enough with having speed around them with Long , Kent and Parker and I don't think it will change any time soon due to we have had success - having Lonie out they will rotate Gresham , Hunter through the forward line as well.

Our back line is fine - they got cut up on the weekend because of the amount of inside 50s and to fix this its all down to our mids , they have to at least break even and not get torched like they did against the Crows.

I'm hoping we can take up to GWS , WCE and Magpies in the next 3 games and if we snatch a win out of one of these games we are still a chance of playing finals.

Remember Carlisle , Membery , Geary could all be back by round 12 - if this is the case our side will be getting a boost in the last half of the season and we could easily squeak out wins against and we could sneak a win against a higher rated team and lose against a lower rated team but we could easily get 12 wins and due to this season being so even this could be enough to make the 8.
rd 10 Blues
rd 11 Port
rd 12
rd 13 Gold Coast
rd 14 Lions
rd 15 Tigers
rd 16 Roos
rd 17 Cats
rd 18 Dogs
rd 19 Demons
rd 20 Crows
rd 21 Fremantle
rd 22 Blues
rd 23 Swans

This would be my side if everyone was fit

Geary - Brown - Marsh
Webster - Battle - Wilkie
Billings - Hannebery - Newnes
Long - Carlisle - Parker
Gresham - Bruce - Membery

Marshall - Ross - Steven

Steele / Acres / Savage / Lonie

Emergencies - Kent / Paton / McKenzie / Hunter / White / Joyce

I would back this team to push any team - ok I know people knock different players but you can ajust who you want in the 22 , but it is a strong team which will only get stronger next season with King , Hunter , Coffield , Bytel . Clavarino all with another preseason under there belt.

Don't rate Hind ? Shouldn't he get a game to see what he can offer ?

 

[Saintbloke]

Have we made a big mess of recruiting in the big man area? Marshall is a versatile mobile ruck, then we only have Pierce who is OK on his day, but not mobile and not adaptable, then Longer who is treacle slow and has no skills below his knees...and that's it. We got rid of Hickey who could at least take a pack mark.

 

[VDS66]

Actually would play 2 rucks play Gresham & Battle forward .

Really hate using blokes in the ruck who are not “ruckman “



Out : Lonie , Bruce , Kent , Long

In : Clark , Joyce , Hind ( Wing & Half back ) Marshall

Sorry to disagree, and I like your work.

But playing Longer puts us at 21 effective players. Unless we only use him as a tackling bag against mummy.

 

[VDS66]

Have we made a big mess of recruiting in the big man area? Marshall is a versatile mobile ruck, then we only have Pierce who is OK on his day, but not mobile and not adaptable, then Longer who is treacle slow and has no skills below his knees...and that's it. We got rid of Hickey who could at least take a pack mark.

Pretty much. Very close to landing Lycette.

Can't blame him given our season last year.

Messed up our rucks since Gardi retired and messed up our clearance beast mids as well.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Actually would play 2 rucks play Gresham & Battle forward .

Really hate using blokes in the ruck who are not “ruckman “



Out : Lonie , Bruce , Kent , Long

In : Clark , Joyce , Hind ( Wing & Half back ) Marshall

Yeah great idea , Billy can sit on the bench and play for 15 minutes, instead of being able to rotate an exhausted mid.

 

[Indie Rock]

Feel we could be in a bit of trouble this week. We really struggled against Adelaide’s midfield on Saturday and GWS are better on the inside. We’ll need to punch way above our weight to get close in this.

A lot will depend on the ins and outs, keen to see Marshall back in as primary ruck. Even if Bruce isn’t playing I don’t really want to see Longer in the team. Would prefer to see someone else in, maybe Battle forward and Marsh in.

We’ll really miss Geary and Lonie.....who would have said that this time last year?

With that being said, we have defied the odds against them in the past so maybe we are just a bit of a bogey team for them and will do better than I think.